Suspension tower portion structure of vehicle

ABSTRACT

An upper face portion of a suspension tower portion of a vehicle comprises an fastening face portion where plural fastening portions to which an upper-side attached portion of a suspension is fixedly fastened are provided and a top face portion which is provided at a higher level than the fastening face portion so as to face the upper-side attached portion of the suspension, the top face portion being connected to a central portion of the fastening face portion via a vertical wall portion. An inner-peripheral-side rib is provided on an inner-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a suspension tower portion structure of a vehicle.

A suspension tower portion which is configured such that an upper end portion of a suspension is fixedly fastened to an upper face portion of the suspension tower portion and a rib is provided at the upper face portion, thereby improving the rigidity, in a vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion is known.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2015-067067 or 2015-093508, for example, disclose a two-stage structure of the upper face portion of the suspension tower portion which comprises an fastening face portion for fastening the upper end portion of the suspension and a top face portion provided at a higher level than the fastening face portion and connected to the fastening face portion via a ring-shaped rib. At an upper face of this fastening face portion of the suspension tower portion is further provided a radial-shaped rib which extends in a radial direction on an outer-peripheral side of the ring-shaped rib, and the rigidity of the upper face portion is increased by the ring-shaped rib and the radial-shaped rib.

Herein, providing the rib which projects further upward from the top face of the top face portion for increasing the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion causes a large size of the suspension tower portion extending upward. In this case, since a gap between the top face portion and an engine hood (bonnet) becomes small, it is suppressed that the engine hood bends downward in a vehicle collision, so that there is a concern that the impact absorption performance may be deteriorated.

Meanwhile, in a case in which the suspension tower portion is arranged downward as a whole for ensuring a sufficient gap between the engine hood and the suspension tower portion, a vertical length of the suspension becomes shorter accordingly. In this case, since the amount of stroke of the suspension decreases, the riding comfort may be deteriorated. That is, the suspension tower portion has a low flexibility of layout position, in the vertical direction, of the top face portion, in particular, so that it may be difficult to form the rib projecting further upward from the upper face of the top face portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a suspension tower portion structure of a vehicle which can improve the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion, suppressing the suspension tower portion extending upward from being large sized.

The present invention is a suspension tower portion structure of a vehicle, wherein an upper face portion of a suspension tower portion comprises an fastening face portion where plural fastening portions to which an upper end portion of a suspension is fixedly fastened are provided and a top face portion which is provided at a higher level than the fastening face portion so as to face the upper end portion of the suspension, the top face portion being connected to a central portion of the fastening face portion via a vertical wall portion, and an inner-peripheral-side rib is provided on an inner-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion.

According to the present invention, the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion can be increased effectively, without increasing the length, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion, by providing the inner-peripheral-side rib at a lower face of the top face portion. That is, the inner-peripheral-side rib increases the secondary cross-sectional moment of a cross section, in the vertical direction, of a portion where this rib is provided, so that the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion can be improved effectively. Herein, the above-described rib includes any rib formed in any manner as long as it projects downward from a lower face of the top face portion. That is, a rib body which has been formed separately may be joined together, the rib may be formed integrally by a raw material, the rib may be formed by recessing a portion of the top face portion downward, or the rib may be formed as a vertical wall portion extending vertically.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an outer-peripheral-side rib is provided at the fastening face portion on an outer-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion, and the inner-peripheral-side rib and the outer-peripheral-side rib are continuously connected via the vertical wall portion.

According to this embodiment, since the inner-peripheral-side rib and the outer-peripheral-side rib are continuously connected via the vertical wall portion, a portion having the rigidity increased by the inner-peripheral-side rib and another portion having the rigidity increased by the outer-peripheral-side rib are continuous from each other, without being separated. Thereby, a radial-shaped rib which continuously extends from the inner-peripheral side to the outer-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion can be formed by the inner-peripheral-side rib and the outer-peripheral-side rib, the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of an upper portion of the suspension tower portion can be improved over a wide range from the top face portion to the fastening face portion. Thereby, the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion can be improved more effectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an outer-peripheral wall portion which extends downward from an outer edge of the fastening face portion is provided, and the outer-peripheral-side rib extends to the outer-peripheral wall portion.

According to this embodiment, the rigidity of the outer-peripheral-side rib can be increased by making the outer-peripheral-side rib properly long and extend to the outer-peripheral wall portion. Accordingly, the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion can be improved further effectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, at the top face portion are formed an opening portion which faces the upper end portion of the suspension and an opening-portion rib which projects downward at a periphery of the opening portion, and the opening-portion rib and the vertical wall portion are connected by the inner-peripheral-side rib.

According to this embodiment, the rigidity of the top face portion can be improved by the opening-portion rib and the rigidity of the top face portion can be further improved by connecting the opening-portion rib and the vertical wall portion via the inner-peripheral-side rib. Accordingly, the rigidity, in the vertical direction, of the suspension tower portion can be improved further effectively.

Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which refers to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a suspension tower portion structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the suspension tower portion structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are views schematically showing deformation of the suspension tower portion structure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a suspension tower portion structure according to a modification.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described referring to the accompanying drawings. While a one-side (right side) part, in a vehicle width direction, of a suspension tower portion structure will be described in the flowing description, the other-side (left side) part is the same as the one-side part. In the figures, forward/rearward, inward/outward, and upward/downward directions show longitudinal, width, and vertical directions of a vehicle, respectively, unless there is any special explanation.

FIG. 1 shows a suspension tower portion 1 of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the suspension tower portion 1 is provided to extend in the vehicle width direction between a front side member and an apron reinforcement which extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction (which are not illustrated), and a suspension 50 (see FIG. 3) which is provided on a right side of a front portion of the vehicle is fixed to the suspension tower portion 1.

The suspension tower portion 1 includes its upper face portion having a two-stage structure, which comprises an fastening face portion 10 to which the suspension 50 is fixedly fastened and a top face portion 30 which is provided at a higher level than the fastening face portion 10. The top face portion 30 is connected to a central portion of the fastening face portion 10 via a vertical wall portion 20. Further, an outer-peripheral wall portion 40 which extends downward is provided at an outer edge of the fastening face portion 10. These elements/members are formed integrally by aluminum die casting, for example.

Plural fastening portions 11 to which an upper-side attachment portion 51 (see FIG. 3) of the suspension 50 is fixedly fastened are formed at the fastening face portion 10. In a plan view of FIG. 2, the fastening portions 11 are formed at three points at roughly equal intervals having a pitch P on a circumference around a central-axis line of the suspension 50 fixedly fastened.

The top face portion 30 is provided to face the upper-side attachment portion 51 of the suspension 50 fixedly fastened, which is formed in a roughly triangular shape having apexes which correspond to the above-described fastening portions 11. Specifically, each apex portion of the top face portion 30 is configured to have a cutout formed in an arc shape having a cutout's center which corresponds to the fastening portion 11. That is, the vertical wall portion 20 which connects the fastening face portion 10 and the top face portion 30 includes an arc-shaped arc wall portion 21 which is positioned at each apex portion of the roughly triangular-shaped top face portion 30 and a connecting wall portion 22 which is positioned at each side portion of the roughly triangular-shaped top face portion 30.

More specifically, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is formed only on the side of the central-axis line of the suspension 50 around the fastening portion 11, not formed on the side of the outer-peripheral wall portion 40. Therefore, the fastening portion 11 is configured to open on the side of the outer-peripheral wall portion 40 so as not to make water stay there easily. Further, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is configured to be spaced apart from a fastening seat portion 3 b of a fastening nut 3 to be fastened onto the fastening portion 11, having a roughly constant distance therebetween.

Herein, since the fastening nut 3 is a flange nut and the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 is cylindrical in the present embodiment, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is formed in the arc shape having its arc center which is positioned at the fastening portion 11 in the plan view. Further, the fastening nut 3 is a hexagon nut, and in a case in which the shape of the fastening seat portion 3 b is hexagonal, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is formed in the arc shape having its arc center which is positioned at the fastening portion so as to extend substantially along the hexagonal fastening seat portion 3 b in the plan view. Also, in a case in which the fastening nut 3 is fastened to the fastening portion 11 via a washer (not illustrated), the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is configured to extend along a peripheral portion of the washer in the plan view.

The connecting wall portion 22 is configured to straightly connect the adjacent arc-shaped wall portions 21.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along of FIG. 2, which shows a vertical cross section of the suspension tower portion 1 which passes through a position of the fastening portion 11. As shown in FIG. 3, at the fastening portion 11 are provided a tower-portion attachment hole 12 which vertically penetrates the fastening face portion 10 and a flat-face-shaped fastening seat face portion 13 which is positioned around the tower-portion attachment hole 12. Further, the suspension 50 has a suspension attachment hole 52 which is located at a position corresponding to the tower-portion attachment hole 12 at its upper-side attached portion 51.

The suspension 50 is fixedly fastened to a lower face of the fastening face portion 10 in such a manner that three fastening bolts 2 are inserted into the attachment holes 52, 12 from below and the fastening nuts 3 are fastened onto the fastening seat face portions 13.

Herein, the fastening seat face portion 13 is configured in a flat-face shape having a specified size such that it roughly matches the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 fastened to the fastening portion 11 or the fastening nut 3 is capable of being placed onto it. Further, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is configured to rise from the fastening seat face portion 13 via a R portion 14, and to be spaced apart from the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3, having the roughly constant distance therebetween, as described above. Accordingly, the distance between the peripheral portion of the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 and the R portion 14 or the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is configured to be roughly constant in the circumferential direction.

The top face portion 30 includes an opening portion 31 which vertically penetrates its central portion and a ring-shaped opening-portion rib 32 which extends downward from the top face portion 30 around the opening portion 31. Referring to FIG. 2 as well, plural inner-peripheral-side ribs 33 which extend downward from a lower face of the top face portion 30 are provided on an inner-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion 20. The inner-peripheral-side ribs 33 are provided to extend radially from the opening-portion rib 32 so as to connect the opening-portion rib 32 and the vertical wall portion 20.

The inner-peripheral-side ribs 33 are positioned above the suspension 50 fixedly fastened to the fastening face portion 10 and located at a specified level so as to contact the suspension 50 substantially or not to interfere with the suspension 50. Further, the inner-peripheral-side ribs 33 comprise each a first inner-peripheral-side rib 33A which connects the opening-portion rib 32 and the arc-shaped wall portion 21 and a second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B which connects the opening-portion rib 32 and the connecting wall portions 22.

Specifically, the first inner-peripheral-side rib 33A is configured to connect the opening-portion rib 32 and the arc-shaped wall portion 21 with substantially the shortest distance, and a roughly middle portion 21 a, in an extension direction, of an arc-shaped portion of the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is connected to the opening-portion rib 32 via this first inner-peripheral-side rib 33A.

Likewise, the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B is configured to connect the opening-portion rib 32 and the connecting wall portion 22 with substantially the shortest distance, and a roughly middle portion 22 a, in a longitudinal direction, of the connecting wall portion 22 is connected to the opening-portion rib 32 via this second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, plural outer-peripheral-side ribs 23 are provided at the upper face of the fastening face portion 10 on an outer-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion 20. The outer-peripheral-side ribs 23 each extends radially toward the outer-peripheral wall portion 40.

The outer-peripheral-side rib 23 is configured to have a specified height which is equal to or lower than that of the top face portion 30, and its height decreases gradually toward the outer-peripheral wall portion 40. Further, the outer-peripheral-side ribs 23 comprise six first outer-peripheral-side ribs 23A which extend radially from both end portions, in the arc direction, of the arc-shaped wall portion 21 toward the outer-peripheral wall portion 40 and three second outer-peripheral-side ribs 23B which extend radially from the connecting wall portions 22 toward the outer-peripheral wall portion 40.

Herein, the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B is configured to extend from the roughly middle portion 22 a, in the longitudinal direction, of the connecting wall portion 22, that is—to extend continuously to the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B via the connecting wall portion 22. In other words, the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B and the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B are configured to extend radially and continuously from the top face portion 30 via the vertical wall portion 20 over the fastening face portion 10.

The connecting wall portion 22 and a pair of the first inner-peripheral-side ribs 33A, 33B which are positioned on the both sides of the connecting wall portion 22 are arranged at positions which correspond to three sides of a triangle, respectively, in the plan view.

Next, performance/effects of the suspension tower portion structure according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are vertical cross sections taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2, which each passes through a position of the fastening portion 11, which schematically show deformation of the suspension tower portion 1 when a load is inputted in the vertical direction from the suspension 50. FIG. 4A shows a state before deformation, FIG. 4B shows downward deformation, and FIG. 4C shows upward deformation.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the vertical-direction load is inputted to the fastening portion 11 from the upper-side attached portion 51 through the fastening bolt 2 and the fastening nut 3. Herein, the suspension tower portion 1 is deformed vertically in a dome shape with a neutral face of a bending central face S which is positioned substantially at a middle position, in the vertical direction, of a structure body, including the upper-side attached portion 51 of the suspension 50, the fastening face portion 10, the vertical wall portion 20, and the top face portion 30.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the load is inputted downward from the suspension 50, the suspension tower portion 1 is deformed in the dome shape with the neutral face of the bending central face S in such a manner that it is curved downward. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the load is inputted upward from the suspension 50, the suspension tower portion 1 is deformed in the dome shape with the neutral face of the bending central face S in such a manner that it is curved upward.

Herein, since the above-described embodiment is configured such that the top face portion 30 is spaced apart from the bending central face S and the inner-peripheral-side rib 33 is provided at the lower face of the top face portion 30, the secondary cross-sectional moment of the cross section, in the vertical direction, of a portion where the inner-peripheral-side rib 33 is provided, having a standard of the bending central face S, can be effectively increased, so that the vertical-direction rigidity can be improved. Consequently, since the vertical-direction rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 is improved effectively, the vertical deformation of the suspension tower portion 1 which is caused by the vertical load inputted from the suspension 50 can be suppressed.

Moreover, since the inner-peripheral-side rib 33 is provided at the lower face of the top face portion 30, the suspension tower portion 1 is suppressed from being large sized upward.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B which is continuously connected to the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B is provided via the connecting wall portion 22, a portion having the rigidity increased by the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B and another portion having the rigidity increased by the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B are continuous from each other, without being separated. Thereby, a radial-shaped rib which continuously extends from the inner peripheral side to the outer-peripheral side of the connecting wall portion 22 can be formed by the second inner-peripheral-side rib 33B and the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B, the vertical-direction rigidity of the upper portion of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved over a wide range from the top face portion 30 to the fastening face portion 10. Thereby, the vertical rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved more effectively.

Moreover, since the second outer-peripheral-side ribs 23B extend each to the upper portion of the outer-peripheral wall portion 40, the rigidity of the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B can be increased by making the second outer-peripheral-side rib 23B properly long and extend to the outer-peripheral wall portion 40. Accordingly, the vertical-direction rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved further effectively.

Also, the rigidity of the top face portion 30 can be improved by the opening-portion rib 32 and the rigidity of the top face portion 30 can be further improved by connecting the opening-portion rib 32 and the vertical wall portion 20 via the inner-peripheral-side rib 33. Accordingly, the vertical-direction rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved further effectively.

Further, since the respective fastening portions 11 are straightly connected to each other by the connecting wall portions 22 via the arc-shaped wall portions 21 positioned around the fastening portions 11 in the above-described embodiment, scaling of the forming pitch P between the respective fastening portions 11 can be suppressed. For example, when the vertical load is inputted from the suspension 50, the scaling of the forming pitch P between the respective fastening portions 11 which is caused by the dome-shaped deformation of the fastening face portion 10 can be suppressed. And, the dome-shaped deformation of the fastening face portion 10 is suppressed by suppressing the scaling between the fastening portions 11. Thereby, the vertical rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved effectively.

Moreover, since the connecting wall portions 22 are located at the positions which correspond to the sides of the triangle in the plan view, the rigidity of the connecting wall portions 22 can be effectively improved by the effect of a truss structure and the scaling of the forming pitch P between the respective fastening portions 11 can be suppressed. Thereby the vertical rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved further effectively.

Further, since the connecting wall portions 22 and the first inner-peripheral-side ribs 33A, 33A which are positioned on the both sides are located at the positions corresponding to the sides of the triangular in the plan view, the rigidity of the connecting wall portions 22 and the first inner-peripheral-side ribs 33A can be improved more. Thereby, the scaling of the forming pitch P between the respective fastening portions 11 can be effectively suppressed more. Thereby the vertical rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved more effectively.

Also, the fastening seat face portion 13 of the fastening portion 11 of the present embodiment is configured in the shape having the minimum size such that it roughly matches the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 or the fastening nut 3 is capable of being placed onto it. That is, since a non-fastening portion (a flat face portion) of the fastening seat face portion 13 which is not fastened by the fastening nut 3 is small, a decrease of the face rigidity of the fastening seat face portion 13 which is caused by the non-fastening portion is suppressed.

Further, the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is provided to rise from the fastening seat face portion 13 via the R portion 14, and extend along the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 fastened onto the fastening portion 11, having the constant distance between them in the plan view. That is, the rigidity of the fastening portion 11 is improved roughly uniformly on the side of the central-axis line of the suspension 50 by the arc-shaped wall portion 21.

Herein, while a stress which is generated on the side of the central-axis line of the suspension 50 at the fastening portion 11 by the load inputted in the vertical direction from the suspension 50 is relatively great, the rigidity of the fastening portion 11 is improved roughly uniformly on the side of the central-axis line of the suspension 50 as described above. Accordingly, the stress generated at the fastening portion 11 is substantially equalized at the peripheral portion of the fastening seat portion 3 b of the fastening nut 3 on the side of the central-axis line of the suspension 50, so that any improper local stress concentration is prevented. Thereby, the vertical-direction rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved effectively.

Also, since the first outer-peripheral-side rib 23A extends from the both end portions of the arc-shaped wall portion 21 to the outer-peripheral wall portion 40, the rigidity of the fastening face portion 10 is improved over a wide range from the arc-shaped wall portion 21 to the outer-peripheral wall portion 40. Thereby, the vertical-direction rigidity of the suspension tower portion 1 can be improved more effectively.

Herein, the above-described embodiment is configured such that the arc-shaped wall portion 21 is formed on the inner-peripheral side only, not formed on the side of the outer-peripheral wall portion 40, in order to prevent the water from staying. However, in a case in which another countermeasure against the water staying, such as a cover, or there is no problem with the water staying at the fastening portion 11, a cylindrical wall portion 121 which surrounds an entire periphery of a fastening portion 111 may be provided like a suspension tower portion 100 according to a modification shown in FIG. 5. In this case, a connecting wall portion 122 may be formed straightly so that the connecting wall portion 122 tangentially connects to an edge portion of the cylindrical wall portion 121 on the side of an outer-peripheral wall portion 140.

Further, plural first inner-peripheral-side ribs 133A (three, for example) which each connect the opening-portion rib 131 and the cylindrical wall portion 121 may be provided. Thereby, the connection rigidity of the cylindrical wall portion 121, the top face portion 130, and the first inner-peripheral-side ribs 133A can be further improved.

Also, the suspension tower portion structure may be made by casting or forging using iron or other light metal than aluminum, instead of the aluminum die casting. Alternatively, it may be made by pressing of a steel plate or joining of plural members, such as welding. Instead, the suspension tower portion structure may be made from CFRP (carbon-fiber reinforced plastic).

The rib may be formed by a raw material, by joining members which has been formed separately, or by pressing. The vertical wall portion may be provided in place of the rib, and the rib may be provided in place of the vertical wall portion.

While the above-described embodiment is configured such that the fastening portions 11 are composed of three portions, two portions or four or more portions may constitute the fastening portions 11. In any case, an arc-shaped wall portion which encloses the circumference of the fastening portion 11 on the central side in an arc shape or in a cylindrical shape can be provided and also the adjacent arc-shaped wall portions (cylindrical wall portions) can be straightly connected by the connecting wall portion. Moreover, the inner-peripheral-side rib can be provided at the lower face of the top face portion which is formed by the arc-shaped wall portion (cylindrical wall portion) and the connecting wall portion at the higher level. Herein, it may be unnecessary to form an opening portion at the top face portion in a case in which the fastening portions 11 are composed of two portions.

While the above-described embodiment described the suspension tower portion structure for fixing the front suspension, the present invention is applicable to a suspension tower portion structure for fixing a rear suspension.

The present invention should not be limited to the above-described embodiments, and any other modifications or improvements may be applied within the scope of a spirit of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A suspension tower portion structure of a vehicle, wherein an upper face portion of a suspension tower portion comprises an fastening face portion where plural fastening portions to which an upper end portion of a suspension is fixedly fastened are provided and a top face portion which is provided at a higher level than the fastening face portion so as to face the upper end portion of the suspension, the top face portion being connected to a central portion of the fastening face portion via a vertical wall portion, and an inner-peripheral-side rib is provided on an inner-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion.
 2. The suspension tower portion structure of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein an outer-peripheral-side rib is provided at the fastening face portion on an outer-peripheral side of the vertical wall portion, and the inner-peripheral-side rib and the outer-peripheral-side rib are continuously connected via the vertical wall portion.
 3. The suspension tower portion structure of the vehicle of claim 2, wherein an outer-peripheral wall portion which extends downward from an outer edge of the fastening face portion is provided, and the outer-peripheral-side rib extends to the outer-peripheral wall portion.
 4. The suspension tower portion structure of the vehicle of claim 1, wherein at the top face portion are formed an opening portion which faces the upper end portion of the suspension and an opening-portion rib which projects downward at a periphery of the opening portion, and the opening-portion rib and the vertical wall portion are connected by the inner-peripheral-side rib. 